While other lowly teams around them were losing, the Cleveland Browns were winning games late in the NFL season. Victories against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in the final two weeks may have boosted morale among the players, but they also may have cost the Browns dearly.
Cleveland admittedly was in a tough position, with a head coach who was trying to save his job and a rookie quarterback who was trying to make an impression. However, when looking at the final order for the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, it’s easy to see how the Browns would have been better served by losing.
With that in mind, insider Tony Grossi called out the Browns for squandering a big draft chance and the opportunity to select top quarterback prospect Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall.
“If the Browns had not defeated Pitt & Cincy, they would own the No. 1 pick & could select Fernando Mendoza. With an imminent coaching change, nobody — nobody — will remember those 2 wins in April,” Grossi wrote on X.
If the Browns had not defeated Pitt & cincy, they would own the No. 1 pick & could select Fernando Mendoza. With an imminent coaching change, nobody – nobody – will remember those 2 wins in April. #100Yearswar
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) January 10, 2026
Those wins, and subsequent fall to No. 6 overall, feel worse now than they did when the season ended. Head coach Kevin Stefanski was nevertheless fired, and general manager Andrew Berry has basically admitted that the team needs a new quarterback with Shedeur Sanders not the long-term answer.
Not only that, Mendoza looked sensational in helping Indiana win its College Football Playoff semifinal game against Oregon. The fact that it came against opposing QB Dante Moore, who is seen as the second-best prospect should he declare for the draft, made it all the more telling.
This regular season, Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and established himself as the clear top prospect among a dwindling class. Though Ty Simpson of Alabama will be in the draft, some observers think the Browns might be waiting until 2027 to select a QB, when Arch Manning of Texas could be available.
Heading into Week 17, the Browns were in contention for the No. 1 overall pick. While wins against AFC North rivals may have been fun for fans at the time, they could cost the team in the long run.
Coming off an excellent 2025 draft and with two first-round picks this year, it would have been quite a coup to hold the top selection.
NEXT: Exciting 2026 Draft Prospect Is Getting Buzz Among Browns Fans
